It is good to talk about anointing oil and its significance to Christians of the New Testament. I attended some crusades and noticed some Christians do not understand the use of anointing oil. Today’s message would give you good understanding about God’s view on oil and how to be careful with the false prophets.
The Origin of Anointing Oil
The Jewish tradition uses olive oil for various benefits, but anointing oil became significant during the Exodus. God instructed the use of anointing oil as one of the unique materials for the priest and the tabernacle.
God originated the first formulation of holy anointing oil. Exodus chapter 30 verse 22 to 25: “Moreover the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Also take for yourself quality spices-five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cane, ‘five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. ‘And you shall make from this holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumers. It shall be holy anointing oil.”
The holy anointing oil is a shadow of the anointing in Jesus Christ.
4 Major Uses of Anointing Oil
1. Symbol of Purification and Consecration
Exodus chapter 30 verse 26 to 32: “With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony… You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy… And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests…”
2. Refreshment of the Body
Luke chapter 7 verse 44 to 47: “… I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet… You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil… Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven…”
3. For Dead Body Preparation
Mark chapter 14 verse 3 to 8: “And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head… She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.”
4. Medicinal Purpose; soothing properties
Isaiah chapter 1 verse 6 mentioned the importance of anointing oil to heal wounds; “From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment.”
James chapter 5 verse 14 says: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
The anointing oil serves as a first aid ointment though healing comes from the LORD.
Is the Oil Powerful?
Anointing oil cannot give you protection, deliverance, miraculous healing, or prosperity. If you carefully study the Bible, then you would have the understanding that the oil itself has no supernatural power.
The arrival of Jesus Christ in the New Testament fulfilled the law of holiness related to the anointing oil in the Old Testament. Jesus Christ is the anointed One from Heaven and He is powerful than anointing oil. The book of Luke chapter 4 verse 17 to 21 is the proof:
“… The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed… And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Neither Jesus Christ nor the Holy Spirit teaches us to attach our faith to anointing oil for any supernatural occurrence. But it is a pity that healing oil had been idolized among the Christians today.
The followers of Jesus Christ used oil for its soothing effect on the sick, but their faith towards the healing of the sick was not attached to the oil. Mark chapter 6 verse 13 says: “And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.”
It was the faithful prayers to the LORD that healed the sick. Thus, anointing oil plays the role of a first aid.
Anointing Oil and the False Prophets
Jesus Christ did not sponsor the use of anointing oil. Thus, Pastors and Prophets should be careful not to take the heart of congregates away from Jesus Christ. Many false ‘men of God’ are selling oil in an exorbitant price with the claim that it can deliver the buyer from spiritual attacks. The false prophets always advertise that the “conjured” oil can give miraculous healing and prosperity.
Please, don’t allow the challenge of life to push you into the hands of the magicians who claim to be pastors. The sale of any material for the purpose of salvation is against the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew chapter 10 verse 8 says: “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
Jesus released spiritual anointing on His disciple and He never told them to go about with bottles of anointing oil. And the power of healing was not hindered in the life of the sick. It is the prayer of the saints that heals the sick and not the oil.
Don’t be deceived by the false prophets, the anointing oil cannot give you deliverance. But the anointing of Jesus Christ in you is the only anointing that can save you. 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 21 and 22 says: “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
Various names were given to the commercial oil such as; Prosperity anointing oil, King Solomon anointing oil etc. The false Prophets/Pastors had made some Christians to idolize anointing oil. Their faith is in the oil and not in the power of Jesus Christ. Some Christians cannot go to bed at night if the door is not anointed with the oil from their pastors. Is it the oil on the door that protects or the power of Jesus Christ?
Don’t Christianize the use of anointing oil because it under-estimates the power of Jesus. It is a pity that oil idolatry is included in the doctrine of so many churches. I had previously worshiped in a church that idolized the use of anointing oil. And, I discovered that my faith was attached to the oil than to the Maker of the oil. I quit the church…!
Some Christians believed that Jesus Christ cannot heal, deliver or bless them if they don’t purchase the oil before their prayers. They were brain-washed by the false preachers who introduced materialism into the Church.
Don’t be carried away by the miracles credited to the oil of some ‘prophets’. Any minister exalting anointing oil more than the power of Jesus Christ does not belong to the LORD.
Is it compulsory to use oil?
It is not compulsory to buy healing oil before you receive healing from the LORD. Jesus Christ did not hold a bottle of oil throughout His healing ministry because the spiritual anointing in Him is more than the oil. If you accept Jesus Christ into your life with all your might, then you shall be filled with the anointing from God. John chapter 14 verses 21 say: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
It is not a sin to use anointing oil for its soothing effect on the sick, but it becomes a sin of idolatry when you consider the oil as a medium or making it to be more important than the direct faith and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
